Formulating today’s on-trend cultured products

One glance at the yogurt case in a grocery store tells you that high- protein yogurts are dominating the market. High protein isn’t enough anymore in the yogurt category. Other necessary claims include zero sugar or no added sugar, lactose free, contains probiotics, clean label, and even high fiber. High protein yogurts make up about 67% of the yogurt market. (https://market.us). The high-protein yogurt market, valued at more than $41 billion, is expected to grow in the next 10 years to more than $80 billion This growth will be driven by increasing demand for protein-rich diets, more awareness of gut health, and increasing use of functional dairy products. (Future Market Insights Report, 2025).

The United States has had high-protein yogurts since Greek yogurt entered the market in 2007. The majority of high-protein yogurts that are dairy-based use centrifugation or ultrafiltration of the yogurt to reach protein levels of 10%. Some brands use ultrafiltered milk or add milk protein concentrate (MPC) and/or whey protein concentrate (WPC) to milk to achieve 10% protein and higher (15 to 25 grams per 150-gram serving). Some drinkable products, typically labeled as cultured dairy drinks, combine ultrafiltered (UF) milk and whey protein to achieve 23 grams of protein in 7 ounces (207 mls).

Kimberlee (K.J.) Burrington is vice president of Technical Development for the American Dairy Products Institute.

A new high-protein cultured dairy drink on the market contains 23 grams of protein and 5 grams of prebiotic fiber in 7 ounces. It uses whey protein concentrate, leucine peptides and vitamin D to help build and retain muscle during weight loss. Inulin is added as the prebiotic fiber to help support digestive health. It has no added sugar and no artificial sweeteners. Just to make it clear to consumers what the product benefits are, it states “Muscle + Digestive Health Support” on the front of the bottle. Some consumer guidance included on the website for this cultured product includes, “protein and exercise with a balanced diet help maintain muscles,” “prebiotics feed the good bacteria in the gut,” “use this product as a food supplement only,” “do not use for weight reduction, but for extra protein during weight loss.”

A new spoonable yogurt was introduced with 20 grams of protein from UF milk and whey protein concentrate, 10 grams of fiber from soluble corn fiber and chicory root fiber with no added sugar. It is being marketed as a functional dairy snack formulated to support consumers taking GLP-1 medications. With the increase in use of GLP-1 medications, both products address the need to maintain muscle with a high amount of high-quality dairy protein in a small serving size plus fiber to address any gastrointestinal effects from the medication.

Formulating high-protein cultured products can be a challenge due to some changes in the processing and finished product sensory properties. Fermentation of a yogurt that starts with UF milk or milk with added milk protein concentrate or whey protein concentrate can take up to eight to 10 hours of time to reach a pH of 4.6 compared to four to six hours for a traditional yogurt that is later concentrated through centrifugation or ultrafiltration. The added fermentation time is caused by the increase in buffering capacity that any added dairy protein ingredient provides. This means that the cultures must produce more acid, which also contributes to a longer fermentation time. That additional acid means that the product will have a higher titratable acidity than conventional yogurt and likely will taste more sour or tart.

The choice of the ingredient you use for protein fortification also makes a difference from a flavor and texture standpoint. Using a dry dairy protein means that the powder needs to be mixed into the milk versus UF milk, which is already in a liquid form. Most processing plants have high-speed mixers for the addition of dairy powders.

Milk protein concentrates and isolates, once mixed into cold milk, will take longer to fully hydrate, become soluble and fully functional. If they are not well hydrated, the finished yogurt could be chalky in texture. Whey protein concentrates and isolates mixed in cold milk will hydrate more quickly than milk protein ingredients, but they are more heat sensitive. Typical pasteurization temperatures for yogurt are 185°F to 200°F, which denatures the whey proteins and binds them with some of the casein protein. This high temperature pasteurization contributes to a firm and stable texture in yogurt.

When fortifying with whey protein, high levels of addition can lead to graininess from excess denaturation and loss of solubility. The desired final texture of the high-protein yogurt is also influenced by the choice of the dairy protein ingredient. Generally, fortification with milk proteins will yield a firmer texture than fortifying with whey proteins, which is probably why more whey proteins are used in drinkable cultured products. High-protein drinks tend to be more astringent, which is also true for high-protein cultured products. Anything that adds some lubricity to the cultured product will help reduce that astringency. Making a higher fat product, adding fiber, and/or using cultures that produce exopolysaccharides should all provide lubricity and reduce astringency.

The U.S. has had almost 20 years to optimize its high-protein yogurts. Food and diet trends have helped support the longevity of high-protein cultured products along with other food and beverages. Overall, today's cultured products have much more to offer consumers when it comes to health and wellness. DF